Original subtitles

Previously on Stargate SG-1.

Wait. Where are you going? I want to see.

She is Orici.

With the wisdom of the ages she will lead us to glorious victory.

Merlin was conducting research on some kind of new invention,

a weapon capable of destroying Ascended beings.

Arthur and his knights left to quest for the Sangraal long ago.

It is said that they journeyed to three distant lands

mentioned in Merlin's prophecy,

Castiana, Sahal, and Vagonbrei.

Six more worlds have fallen to the Ori.

Two were Jaffa strongholds.

They attempted to resist, but were overwhelmed within a matter of hours.

According to those who witnessed the battle,

the enemy is led by a young woman of extraordinary powers.

Six planets in eight days and they don't even have their full team in the field yet.

Why haven't they made a move against Earth?

In all probability, the Ancient device in Antarctica is giving them pause.

At least until the rest of their battle fleet gets here.

I got it! I got it.

I made the connection.

Sir Gawain to Gwalchmei, Culhwch, and Olwen. Verus Gen Bree.

And you say I'm hard to understand.

Oh, it's Vagonbrei,

one of the planets Arthur and his knights went to in their quest for the Holy Grail.

I got the gate address.

While on PX1767, we got the names of three planets,

Castiana, Sahal, and Vagonbrei,

three possible destinations for Arthur and his knights

in their quest for the Holy Grail, what we know to be Merlin's weapon.

Unfortunately, what we didn't get were any corresponding gate addresses

and the process of going through that library page by page looking for clues

could have potentially taken years.

So I knew we were going to have to narrow the search parameters a little.

That's when it hit me. Sir Gawain.

Wasn't he one of the knights who says, "Ni"?

He was a knight of the Round Table, and in one his earliest incarnations,

an old Welsh tale, he went on a quest to help rescue a lost love.

The legend says that Sir Gawain, a.k.a. Gwalchmei,

visited several lands over the course of his adventure,

including a place called Gwlad Gan Brenhinol Gwir,

which is Welsh for "The land of royal truth."

Translate that into Ancient and you get "Verus Gen Bree." Vagonbrei.

So how does that get us a gate address?

It doesn't, but it did give me something very specific

to look for in Merlin's library, namely, references to Gawain.

Now, based on this information,

I started scanning through the titles and I found this.

Now, the entire volume is dedicated to Gawain's adventures

and includes several very interesting illustrations,

including a depiction of a sword he once carried.

Note the symbols engraved on the blade.

- A gate address. - Vagonbrei.

Well, we won't know till we check it out.

Well done, Doctor. Colonel Carter, what's the status of the Ori supergate?

Any attempts we've made to dial out to the Ori galaxy have failed.

It looks like they're blocking us from their end.

There is a mothership in the area that will alert us to the arrival of any other ships.

More ships? We can hardly deal with the ones that are already here.

You have a go. Find that weapon.

- Yes, sir. - Will do.

I was talking to SG-1. You're not going anywhere.

General, I'm hoping you might reconsider your decision

and allow Vala to come with us.

Given everything she's put you through,

you're the last person I would have expected to ask me that.

Yes, sir, and I'm hoping that impresses on you just how strongly I feel about this.

Look, I know she's no angel.

She's lied, she's stolen, she's cheated, she's misrepresented herself.

She's lied.

But she also risked her life to warn us that the Ori were on their way

and almost sacrificed herself to shut down the very first Ori supergate.

I understand the contribution she's made.

The truth is, the Pentagon isn't willing to roll the dice on her.

But you could convince them otherwise.

You see, 10 years ago, General Hammond sat in that very chair

and he was faced with a similar decision.

As former First Prime to Apophis, Teal'c had committed some terrible crimes.

As the former First Prime to Apophis,

Teal'c provided valuable insight to the enemy's resources and tactics.

And as the mother to the leader of the Ori army,

Vala may hold the key to stopping them.

If I push this issue

and the Pentagon agrees to let her join you on off-world missions,

then I'd be the one ultimately held accountable for her actions.

Yes, sir. I understand, sir.

So I'd be counting on you to keep her in line.

Yes, sir.

So can I go on the mission?

No. You're not cleared for off-world travel yet.

You still have to go through a psych evaluation.

What's that?

It's sort of an interview given to all prospective SGC personnel,

designed to assess a person's psychological state,

get a sense of their mental well-being.

Oh, to find out if I'm...

...wonko.

Right. So, they're going to sit you down in a little room,

get you talking about yourself, and ask you a few questions.

- So it's a test? - Sort of.

And all I have to do is pass.

How hard can that be?

I'm gonna have to do some research, so I'm gonna use your computer

while you're away on this mission.

You know what? I'd prefer if you didn't.

There's a lot of sensitive material in there.

Great. Be careful!

Time to go.

I said no, and you can't access it without my password!

Already got it. Thanks!

I... But the...

This place is deader than a Texas salad bar.

Hello!

Hello!

It is obvious this village has long since been abandoned.

General. What brings you by?

Just thought I'd see how you were getting along.

What are you doing?

Just a little research for my upcoming mental appraisal.

You can't cram for a psychiatric evaluation.

That's what they want you to think.

It's a battle of wits.

My mind against theirs.

They'll try and confuse me with their trick questions,

but I already have the correct answers.

There are no correct answers.

For instance, when they ask me, "What do you consider your biggest flaw?"

No, they won't ask that question.

My answer will be that I feel I am too much of a perfectionist.

You see, I put a positive spin on a negative.

Yes, that was very transparent.

Question two. "You are in the desert.

"You see a tortoise lying on his back in the hot sun.

"You recognize his plight, but do nothing to help. Why?"

Why?

Because you are also a tortoise.

Guys, you should take a look at this.

Whoa.

I thought I liked to sleep in.

Dr. Reimer. Colonel Carter, Colonel Mitchell.

I understand you've got a bit of a medical mystery on your hands.

What we have here is a village full of skeletons.

We found a few lying on the ground,

but most seem to have died in their beds.

I think we can rule out violence.

Anything left besides bones?

Sorry, Doc, whatever happened here happened a long time ago.

Let's go take a look.

Did the village records give an indication as to what befell these people?

No, but it does make mention of some Ancient lore tied to the area.

According to legend, a cave overlooking the village

was once home to Morgan Le Fay.

In Arthurian myth, Morgan was a powerful sorceress.

King Arthur's half-sister and an adversary of Merlin.

That would suggest she may have had a hand in

the disappearance of the weapon we seek.

Now, Morgan, like Merlin, was a purported magic-user,

so it makes sense that, again like Merlin, she was once Ascended.

One who foresaw the dangers presented to her and her kind

by a weapon capable of destroying Ascended beings.

So she took the weapon from Merlin and went into hiding.

On three possible worlds. This being one.

We've got to find that cave.

Why did I have to tag along on this little hike?

You got somewhere else you need to be?

Yeah, how about at home in bed?

I got pulled off inoculation duty on 865 to come here and pull a double shift.

I've been up 18 hours straight.

What is it?

Birds.

What birds?

My point exactly. I first noticed it in the village, now here in the forest as well.

An unusual stillness.

There are no birds, or any other animal life, for that matter.

All right. So what happened to them?

Vala. I'm Dr. Hutchison.

Have a seat.

So, how are you feeling?

Very well. Very well.

Well, you know, all things considered.

I mean, you'd assume I'd be a prime candidate for acculturation difficulty,

enduring feelings of displacement and alienation.

Perhaps even a little paranoid ideation.

But the truth is I was able to adopt an abstract attitude,

which allowed me to release some of my repressed feelings,

ultimately providing me with a cathartic actualization.

How are you feeling?

I'm fine.

There's nothing here.

Maybe it's the wrong cavern. We should continue searching the area.

It's getting dark out, Daniel. We should head back to the village.

Ackerman.

Yo, Ackerman! Wake up.

- What happened? - We're done.

Sorry, Jackson.

Are you familiar with inkblot tests?

Okay. I'm going to show you a series of images,

and I just want you to say the first thing that comes to your mind.

Okay.

Courage.

Respect.

You look at this inkblot and the first thing that pops into your head is respect?

Yes. Respect.

Okay. Vala, this is called a projective test.

It's designed to allow me a little insight into your emotional state.

I just want to get to know you better, not pass judgment on you.

I want to help, but to do that, I'm going to need you to be completely honest

and spontaneous with your answers. Do you understand?

- Of course. - Okay.

I'm sorry.

Kindness.

Red team's wrapping it up.

Figured we'd do the same.

This can't be a dead end. There has to be something here.

Take it up with Landry.

You can come back tomorrow, knock yourself out,

strain your eyes all you want.

You're right. I could probably get a fresh start in the morning.

All right, let's go home.

Hang on a minute. Where's Ackerman?

Ackerman, come on! Bernie!

Ackerman. Let's go.

Yo, Ackerman! Wake up. Come on.

He's asleep. What the hell kind of diagnosis is that?

Dr. Reimer says he won't know more until he's completed all the blood work.

There's got to be something more to it, like a coma.

No, I'm afraid not.

Coma patients don't respond to outside stimuli. Pain, sound, touch.

Ackerman responds to all three. He even flinches, reacts in his sleep state.

- Why can't we wake him up? - I don't know.

I need to do more tests before I can say anything for sure,

and we have to contact Stargate Command

and have them send out the necessary equipment.

I'm sorry, is that not something you'd be better off doing back at the base?

Ideally, yes, but, unfortunately, and just like Ackerman here,

all of our blood work shows an elevated white cell count

and a marked increase in serotonin levels.

Whatever it is, we've all been infected.

You think this is the same thing that killed the villagers?

Let's just say, for the time being,

I recommend we all try and stay awake for as long as possible.

If we fall asleep, we may never wake up.

We're sending the medical supplies through now, Colonel.

Roger that, sir.

Sure you don't want a little more help? I can send another team in Hazmat.

Until we know what we're dealing with, sir, that would just be risking more lives.

- We can handle it. - Understood.

I'm awake. I'm awake.

Compliments of Dr. Lam.

We have dextroampheta-something,

moto-whatchamacallit, caffeine pills, and good old-fashioned coffee.

Go easy there, Grimsby.

How long have you been awake for?

I don't know, what, 24 hours?

Yeah, talk to me when you get to 40.

- You've pulled all-nighters before, right? - Yeah, loads of them.

This feels worse, doesn't it?

Yeah, I thought it was only me.

I, too, am more fatigued than I would have expected.

It has to be the infection.

It doesn't just keep you from waking up,

it makes you want to sleep in the first place.

Well, in that case, Teal'c?

I prefer to rely on my tretonin.

Cheers. Reimer.

- What you got? - Since we started monitoring him,

Ackerman has been in Stage 4 level,

what they call delta sleep or slow-wave sleep.

We also noted that his brain is producing a surprising amount of melatonin.

It's a hormone synthesized from serotonin, a sleep-inducing agent.

That's what's keeping him asleep.

So all you've got to do is figure out why his brain is producing the melatonin.

We're working on it.

Jackson, what did you find in the town records?

A handwritten entry from the village doctor

in which he mentions a sleeping sickness that affected the town.

Now, he doesn't go into any great detail

but it does make mention of a possible source for what was happening.

Morgan Le Fay. See, it seems the villagers believed

she cursed them for revealing her whereabouts

when King Arthur and his knights came looking for her.

- So did Arthur find her here? Probably not.

If the villagers believed she cursed them, then it's more than likely she escaped.

In any case, we have to go back to that cave.

General, just wondering if they've reached a decision on my mental well-being yet.

Dr. Hutchison isn't finished with you yet. You're to meet with him again later today.

If I may speak candidly, General.

I have a feeling that Dr. Hutchison is somewhat troubled.

In fact, I think he may be suffering from Klinefelter syndrome,

though you didn't hear it from me.

The only thing Dr. Hutchison is suffering from is the headache you gave him.

I suggest you stop playing games and start taking this evaluation very seriously.

I thought I was.

Let's call that delusional memory.

You know, it was Jackson's idea

to come back here and check this cave out again.

I can't help noticing he's the only one who didn't make the trip.

Daniel Jackson made it clear that his time would be better spent

continuing his research of the town records.

Here.

Dr. Reimer wanted us to take some soil samples.

Why?

Just in case this is where Ackerman picked up the infection.

Hmm.

Hello.

Hello. May I have a moment of your time?

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just on my way out. I've got a meeting.

With Dr. Hutchison, I know. That's why I'm here.

I promise to be quick.

My name is Richard Woolsey.

I work for the International Oversight Advisory,

a civilian-run organization made up of representatives from the various nations

involved in the Stargate Program.

And what can I do for you, Mr. Woolsey?

Why don't I tell you what we can do for you.

We can see to it that you pass your psychiatric evaluation with flying colors,

effectively putting any doubts Stargate Command may have about you to rest.

And what would you want in return?

Just a little insight into the weekly goings-on here at Stargate Command.

You see, despite the fact that all signatories to the Gate Alliance Treaty

are de facto partners in the Stargate Program,

my employers are often left out of the loop

when it comes to the more sensitive developments here on the base.

We'd just like you to keep us updated is all.

So you want me

to be a spy.

I've read your file, Ms. Mal Doran.

I don't think what we're asking is that unusual

for someone with such a colorful history.

Cam, Teal'c? I think I found something.

What you got?

Well, it's a faint energy spike. I almost went past without noticing it.

Shazam!

- I guess Daniel was right after all. Yes, he was.

We should check this out.

Would it not be prudent for one of us to return these samples to Dr. Reimer

as quickly as possible?

No, he's right.

We're on the clock and we have no idea how deep this hole is.

All right, I'll go back.

Stay in radio contact. At least as long as you can.

Do you really think these will hold me?

Oh, those aren't restraints. We're hooking you up to a polygraph.

It's also known as a lie detector.

It measures certain variables, like blood pressure and heart rate,

to determine whether you're being truthful or not.

Oh. I see.

All right. Let's get started, then, shall we?

And what's your name?

Vala Mal Doran.

Where did you spend the last week on Earth?

Here at Stargate Command.

- Have you ever stolen anything? - No.

That depends on how you define "stolen."

These are control questions designed to gauge your reaction

by eliciting both truthful and deceptive answers from you.

You're doing fine. Just

try to relax.

You're looking very nice today.

Oh, thank you.

- You're looking rather dashing yourself. - Oh, thanks.

I mean, nice.

I mean, not objectionable.

Colonel, come take a look at this.

This was in that soil sample you brought back from the cave.

What is it?

I believe it's a parasite.

- Is it dead? - No, it's dormant.

Ackerman may have somehow awakened one.

Well, how? It doesn't seem to respond to movement.

Excuse me. Let's see what happens

when they come in contact with live tissue.

Whoa.

I'll lay odds that's your culprit right there.

These people would have had no understanding of microbiology.

They probably came up with the story of Morgan's curse

because they couldn't comprehend what was happening to them.

Hey.

Where's Grimsby?

He said he was on his way back. He isn't here?

Oh, no.

Perhaps we should rest.

No. That's a bad idea.

And I am starting to regret staying up late

to watch Deuce Bigelow: European Gigolo last night.

Check that, I regretted it almost immediately.

- Am I imagining things, or... - I heard it as well.

Grimsby!

Sam?

Well, we found Grimsby. He's asleep, and we can't wake him.

Dr. Reimer?

What's wrong? Has his condition changed?

Well, you could say that.

He's dead.

I see evidence of a ruptured aneurysm near the pineal gland.

There's something else in here.

What the hell?

Morphology is identical to the parasite we found in the soil sample.

Only it's grown 1,000 times bigger.

I'm assuming things didn't go well.

I fail to see the point of that ridiculous exercise,

unless its purpose was to thoroughly humiliate me.

Those questions weren't intended to shed light on my character

or delve deeply into my subconscious.

They were merely little reminders as to exactly why

I don't belong here.

Then I take it you've carefully considered our offer and come to a decision?

I have.

Whoa.

Okay, question.

If what took out the village is what killed all the wildlife around here,

how come that little sucker's alive and kicking?

It may possess a natural immunity to this mysterious affliction.

Yeah, that's exactly my point.

So, all we got to do is catch Joe Bob there,

take him back up to Carter and Reemer... Reimer, whatever.

They reverse-engineer an antidote and Bob's your uncle. We sleep till Tuesday.

Indeed.

Yeah.

Carter, it's Mitchell.

We have progressed too far within the cave system.

Yes, we have.

All right, well, we'll nab Junior first,

then we'll call Carter when we get back up to the surface.

Progress?

We've been theorizing that when the parasite enters the bloodstream,

it triggers the body's immune response and the production of serotonin.

Then it makes its way to the patient's brain, where it lodges and feeds.

Feeds?

- On what? - Melatonin.

Our analysis showed the parasite we removed from Ackerman

gorged itself on the stuff.

It stimulates the production of melatonin, which floods the body,

that's why the urge to sleep is so powerful.

That's why the urge to sleep is so powerful.

And once you give in, the parasite just keeps on feeding

until the engorged parasite affects the surrounding cranial tissue,

eventually provoking a lethal aneurysm.

But we're thinking that it may be possible to starve out the parasite,

so, to that end,

we have isolated a specimen that we awakened from a dormant state.

Dr. Reimer? Dr. Reimer!

It's his heart!

Sam...

He's dead.

- Oh, I'm sorry. - Ah, Vala.

Oh, not you again.

You know, you have another scheduled appointment.

What would be the point of that?

You people have already made up your minds about me.

Is that what you think?

Well, it's not like I haven't encountered this sort of thing before.

You know, I saw it every day in the eyes of the people

who couldn't separate me from the Goa'uld who enslaved them.

So, you know, instead of becoming a victim of their arrogance and stupidity,

I chose to take advantage of it. So I lied, I cheated, and I stole.

I'm not going to apologize for it and, to be perfectly honest with you,

I can't guarantee that I won't do it again. All right?

Of course, I have recently found myself risking my life

for something other than my own personal benefit.

Maybe it's just a phase. Hold it, please.

Or maybe it's because, for the first time, I've actually met someone

who, in some small way, actually believes in me,

but I'm sure you're right. I'm sure it will pass.

What?

Daniel!

- You can't fall asleep. Do you hear me? - Yeah.

We can't take any more of these, either.

With our serotonin and melatonin levels spiking, it's too dangerous.

We're going to have to rely on each other, all right?

Okay.

Easy, there.

Easy. Don't worry.

I'm not going to hurt you.

I've got it, Colonel Mitchell!

On your feet, Colonel Mitchell.

There is much ground to cover if we are to reach the surface.

No, you... You go ahead without me. I'm just going to...

I'm just going to stay here. I'm cooked.

Then I will carry you if I must.

Forget it. No.

Tretonin or not, it's going to catch up with you at some point.

The important thing for you is to take Kermit back to Carter

and what's-his-name

and get them started on the cure.

Indeed. I will return for you, Colonel Mitchell.

And I'll be

right here

waiting on you.

Sam! Sam.

I can't do it anymore.

You have to. You got to hang in there just a little while longer.

In here! Dr. Jackson, Colonel Carter, where's the rest of your team?

Reimer and Ackerman are dead.

- Teal'c and Mitchell went to the caves. - What caves?

Get them in the isolation pods.

No, wait. Wait.

No, wait.

We can't go to sleep.

It's okay. We'll take care of you.

No, you don't understand.

The parasite. It feeds on...

Take it easy, Teal'c. We've got you. Take it easy.

Take it easy, Teal'c. We've got you. Take it easy.

We've got some sort of animal here. We need to take it to the lab.

Yeah, I was getting worked up, cussing at Teal'c, telling him to, "Go on. Leave me."

Must have been 20 minutes before I realized he had gone

and I was sitting there talking to myself.

What about you? Any hallucinations?

Yeah, when they put me in the pod, I imagined I was being put in a coffin.

I thought I was being buried alive.

Well, rise and shine. How are you feeling?

Rested and raring to go, sir.

I assume Dr. Lam got you up to speed.

Yes, sir.

Between the sample they collected from Teal'c

and the research Dr. Reimer and I conducted,

they were able to produce a serum that effectively isolated the parasite

and starved it out.

I just hate that that cave was a dead end. We went through all that for nothing.

I wouldn't say that exactly.

I did find one reference in that library that might prove to be useful.

Atlantis.

You think the location of Merlin's weapon is hidden in their database?

I think it's worth checking out.

Carter.

I see. We'll be right there.

There seems to be a problem in the gate room, sir.

I never liked you and I know you can hear me.

Dial the gate now! Dial the gate!

Don't make me come in there! You stop it.

What's going on?

I'm leaving.

I'm not staying somewhere where I'm not welcome,

and don't even think about making me stay against my will.

Wouldn't dream of it. But I figured you'd want to stay

after going through all the trouble of passing the psychiatric evaluation.

I passed?

Dr. Hutchison seems to think that you have a lot of potential.

He does?

He feels you can make a significant contribution here at Stargate Command,

and I agree.

Congratulations.

I'm a little

overwhelmed.

But as my first official act, I'd like to report a rather disagreeable little man.

That would be me.

Mr. Woolsey's offer was part of the test.

We wanted to make sure we could trust you.

I knew that, but were his sexual advances part of the test?

What? That's... General, I can assure you...

Well, I would have even considered playing along,

but some of his requests were...

Well, a little unusual, even for me.

General, I would never... General... General, wait...

So when do I get one of these SG-1 badges?

You don't. You're not a member of SG-1.

You're a probationary member of Stargate Command

who will be subject to some very intensive scrutiny for the next few months.

Oh.

Don't screw up.

And welcome aboard.

See, I still think it's cause for celebration, so I say we go out, have lunch, and I'll pay.

Pay with what, exactly?

Well, Daniel will cover me until I get my share of the loot.

Loot?

Yeah, from all the treasures we're going to bring back from our off-world travels.

What, I have to wait until I'm off probation before I can start collecting?